Deck 2: Achieving Strategic Alignment

Question 1

An IT mission statement is a concise statement of why the IT group exists and the purpose and function it provides for the company.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The "To-Be" state refers to the current state of the firm in terms of the components of the Strategic Alignment Model.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Each of the following represents a key element in the formulation of strategy except:

A) strategy.
B) inhibitors.
C) mission.
D) vision.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The threat of substitute products pertains to the likelihood of a customer being able to use a completely different product obtained from a company outside the industry.

Question 5

An objective of the Ansoff's Product/Market Matrix is to help identify growth strategies for an organization.

Question 6

The IT strategy formulation process is best described as a sequence of activities that transforms the current alignment state to the envisioned future alignment state.

Question 7

Rivalry between existing firms is usually the strongest of the external environment threats.

Question 8

According to Schein, each of the following is a sub-culture of management except:

A) executive culture.
B) engineering culture.
C) operator culture.
D) knowledge culture.

Question 9

The primary objective of the Ansoff's Product/Market Matrix is to identify external environmental threats to an organization.

Question 10

An alignment enabler is an organizational factor that should be minimized because it can hinder achieving IT-business alignment.

Question 11

Each of the following is an enabler of IT-business alignment except:

A) senior executive support for IT.
B) IT management lacks leadership.
C) IT understands the business.
D) well- prioritized IT projects.

Question 12

A mission statement is a concise, measurable statement of where the company wants to go and what it aspires to be.

Question 13

Commitment of senior business management is an essential component for the successful implementation of an aligned IT strategy.

Question 14

The SWOT's objective is to recommend strategies that ensure the best alignment between the external environment and internal situation.

Question 15

Weak economic growth is an example of one of the top six inhibitors to achieving IT-business alignment.

Question 16

A purpose of strategic objectives is to articulate how the vision will be accomplished over an identified time period.

Question 17

The typical role of champion is to obtain funding and other resources needed to implement the vision.

Question 18

An objective of the market penetration strategy of Ansoff's Product/Market Matrix model is to define new markets with innovative new products.

Question 19

According to the Strategic Alignment Model, each of the following components is concerned with the external domain of IT strategy except:

A) scope of the firm's technology.
B) systemic competencies.
C) IT processes.
D) IT governanceinfrastructure.

Question 20

Which of the following is the best example of a strategic objective?:

A) Support worldwide information requirements and business objectives.
B) Provide competitive advantage to the company.
C) We will drive or enable business strategies to ensure that our contributions provide the highest value to the corporation.
D) Become #1 or #2 in every market we serve.

Question 21

Each of the following is a component of the SWOT model except:

A) Strengths.
B) Weaknesses.
C) Organizations.
D) Threats.

Question 22

The phenomenon whereby the pervasiveness of IT in manufacturing and services has made the market value of physical products and processes less important than the knowledge and information embedded in them is referred to as________________

Question 23

According to Porter's Five Competitive Forces model, all of the following are considered external environmental forces except:

A) power of suppliers.
B) diversification of product/market.
C) substitute products/services.
D) power of buyers.

Question 24

A ________is a concise, measurable statement of where the company wants to go and what it aspires to be.

Question 25

A(n) ______________is a concise statement of why the IT group exists and the purpose
and function it provides for the company.

Question 26

In the Strategic Alignment Model, the linkage between the internal domains of business and IT such that the capabilities of the IT infrastructure support the requirements and expectations of the business' organizational structure and processes is called____________ .

Question 27

In its formulation of an IT strategy, IT management needs to be concerned with both the ______________and internal domains of strategic alignment.

Question 28

Which of the following is not a component of IT Strategy within the Strategic Alignment Model?:

A) tTechnology scope
B) IT governance
C) sSystemic competencies
D) sSkills

Question 29

Each of the following is a key component of the IT Strategy Formulation Process except:

A) systems analysis and design.
B) strategy alternatives analysis.
C) periodic review.
D) "As-Is" State of the organization.

Question 30

Which of the following frameworks addresses IT strategy by application prioritization and application portfolio management?:

A) Framework for assessing the strategic importance of an IT system.
B) Corporate goals for IT.
C) Seven sources of innovation.
D) Balanced scorecard.

Question 31

Which of the following is least likely to be used as a technique for evaluating alternative IT strategies?:

A) sScenario planning
B) bBalanced scorecard
C) cCost and benefit analysis
D) gGap analysis

Question 32

Each of the following is a component of the Strategic Alignment Model except:

A) IT governance.
B) administrative structure.
C) financial structure.
D) business governance.

Question 33

The three key elements of the formulation of strategy are vision, strategy, and_____________

Question 34

Which of the following frameworks addresses IT strategy by examining the focus of IT in organizations relative to strategic goals and effectiveness?:

A) Framework for assessing the strategic importance of an IT system.
B) Corporate goals for IT.
C) Seven sources of innovation.
D) Balanced scorecard.

Question 35

The role that information technology takes when the IT strategy becomes the business strategy is best described as_________________ .

Question 36

___________________refers to the radical design of new processes that include new approaches to work, new organizational structures, and new relationships with customers, suppliers, partners, and employees.

Question 37

In the Strategic Alignment Model, the linkage between the IT strategy domain and the business strategy domains is called_____________

Question 38

________________are business decisions taken at particular points in time by different people in
response to sets of perceived environmental factors

Question 39

Each of the following is a market positioning strategy of the Ansoff Product/Market Matrix except:

A) diversification.
B) market penetration.
C) product development.
D) best products.

Question 40

The component of the Delta model which would use IT strategies such as integrated Supply Chain Management and Customer Relationship Management or collaborative planning and forecasting using Web technologies best describes:

A) system lock-in.
B) customer solutions.
C) best products.
D) product economics.

Question 41

Describe how IT can be used as an enabler of business transformation. Give examples from industry.

Question 42

A ______________describes a person-typically a senior business executive-who has the compelling vision of the "To Be" state of affairs.

Question 43

Critical success factors that provide a firm with a potential competitive edge best describes_____________
.

Question 44

Describe and discuss the IT Strategy Formulation Process.

Question 45

The _________________can be described as a sequence of activities that transforms the current alignment state to the envisioned future alignment state.

Question 46

A ___________describes a person-typically a business executive-who uses his/her organizational influence to obtain the resources needed to implement
the vision.

Question 47

A primary objective of the __________is to recommend strategies that ensure the best alignment between the external environment and internal situation.

Question 48

Briefly describe Porter's Industry Profitability Five Forces model, SWOT analysis, and Ansoff's Product-/mMarket aAnalysis as methods to facilitate management's evaluation of strategy alternatives.

Question 49

List and briefly describe five of the seven characteristics an effective vision statement should have.

Question 50

List and briefly describe seven attributes of a sponsor or champion.